All of the UK’s top 30 retail websites 1 fail to meet the most basic of accessibility requirements

Retailers face excluding over 376 million pounds* in revenue this Christmas

Nomensa calls for boardrooms to initiate Online Social Responsibility (OSR) policies
Research conducted in August 2006 by user experience experts Nomensa, shows that not one of the UK’s top 30 retail websites meets the minimum requirements for website accessibility.  The homepages and terms and conditions pages of each retail site were measured and evaluated, using a combination of manual and automated testing against the globally recognised Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 1.0.

Retailers that were recognised as showing particular consideration of accessibility are John Lewis, Marks and Spencer and Tesco.

Simon Norris, managing director, Nomensa, comments:

There are over 10 million disabled people in the UK 2 , and I believe that each one of those has a right to be able to buy a Christmas present online for a friend or loved one this year.  These research findings show that anyone with serious physical impairments, the visually impaired or even just people wearing glasses to read would encounter difficulties and in many cases would give up trying.

He continues:

Many of the corporations audited invest millions each year in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.  Today I am calling on the boardrooms of these retailers to really start to take their online responsibility just as seriously.

There are also countless millions of people with conditions that affect the way they access the Internet, but do not feature on any register.  For example: learning difficulties such as Dyslexia, cognitive impairments, people with glasses or those that have Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).

Summary of research findings

  • Not one homepage completely achieved basic accessibility (Single-A);
  • Only three Terms and Condition pages achieved Single-A accessibility;
  • 23 websites had search forms, navigational links or advertising banners that failed to work without Javascript;
  • 29 websites used graphical text that would be difficult for people with mild to moderate vision impairments to read, for example, those who wear glasses;
  • Just two sites, Apple Computer and John Lewis, of the 30 tested, provided appropriate text descriptions for all images which helps people who are blind or partially sighted understand the purpose of visual content;
  • 25 websites used pop-up windows, despite growing opposition to their general use, causing significant problems for people with a variety of disabilities;
  • 29 websites did not use shortcut links to help people with visual or physical impairments navigate through a page.

Five steps towards improving accessibility

Taking steps towards OSR shouldn’t be seen as an add-on or a financial drain for an organisation.  The commercial benefits of web accessibility are considerable; they far outweigh the costs of implementing an accessible website.  Aside from the obvious revenue opportunities for a retailer opening their doors to a potential 10 million extra shoppers, an accessible website is usually more search engine friendly and more cost effective to run and maintain.

Nomensa recommends that retailers:

  1. Find out what current level of accessibility they currently achieve;
  2. Decide what their accessibility goals are in the short, medium and long term;
  3. Plan a strategy to meet those goals;
  4. Achieve the goals set ensuring that accessibility is high on the corporate agenda;
  5. Maintain the achievement; implement a process to ensure accessibility is sustained.

*Disabled person’s Christmas pound 2005

  • According to IMRG 40% of the population of the UK shopped online last November, in the run up to Christmas, spending £2.253 billion (£94 each);
  • If there are 10 million disabled people in Great Britain, then based on those percentages, there are potentially 4 million potential disabled online Christmas shoppers;
  • If each potential disabled online Christmas shopper spent £94, then the amount of potential revenue opportunity to business is £376 million.
1 http://www.imrg.org/ItemDetail.aspx?clg=InfoItems&cid=pr&pid=pr_hot_shops_list_240506.pdf&language=en-GB
2 http://www.drc-gb.org/newsroom/key_drc_facts_and_glossary/number_of_disabled_people_in.aspx

Notes to Editors

About Nomensa

Established in 2001, Nomensa is the digital agency specialising in perfecting online user experience.  It combines usability, accessibility and strong web development skills to help public and private sector clients develop online strategies, be more inclusive and accountable.
Nomensa has a research based methodology that put people at the centre of its activities.  Everything it does focuses on understanding the experience people have when using technology.
Nomensa currently works with a variety of public and private sector clients, including Haringey Council, Local Directgov, British Gas and Broads Authority.
www.nomensa.com
For more information or a copy of the full report, please contact: info@nomensa.com